


A Staten Island Christmas

by seaavery1



Category: The Mindy Project
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/M, Light Angst, Racism, TMP Secret Santa Fic Exchange 2014
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-24
Updated: 2014-12-24
Packaged: 2018-03-03 03:39:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2836733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seaavery1/pseuds/seaavery1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For Gloria Gilbert from her prompt: Mindy spends Christmas on Staten with Danny's extended family, some of whom are lovely, many of whom are a little bit racist (in varying degrees). What traditions does the family have? How does Danny protect Mindy from obnoxious relatives? Will Annette let them stay in the same room or does that run the risk of an erection?</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Staten Island Christmas

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GloriaGilbertPatch](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GloriaGilbertPatch/gifts).



> I really, really hope that you like this little fic! Merry, merry Christmas! It was the first time I have written from Mindy's point of view and it was lots of fun. The rating is for some language. Pretty light on angst. Has some fluff and humor. 
> 
> My mom actually helped to beta, she is a fan of the show. So thank you to her for her help and catching my grammatical errors.
> 
> \- Erin

Mindy  hadn't originally pictured waking up Christmas morning in Annette Castellano’s bed, but when she and Danny arrived last night Annette had insisted that Mindy stay with her and not in Danny’s room. She wanted to prevent another incident where Mindy, “tried to arouse my son in an erection-free zone.” Mindy wanted to protest, but Danny just shook his head.

 

Mindy stretched out her arms and rose from bed. She headed to the bathroom to get ready for the day ahead of her. Some of Danny’s extended family were coming over for Christmas morning. She knew she had no real reason to be nervous--after all, she had spent the holidays with boyfriends’ families before. But her stomach was still doing flip-flops.

 

Mindy gave herself the final once-over in the mirror. She was wearing a modest red knee- length dress and green heels. She gave herself a little smile and wink before heading downstairs.

 

* * *

 

 

Danny, Annette, Dot and Richie were gathered in the kitchen putting the final touches on their “traditional Castellano Strata” when Mindy poked her head in. “Merry Christmas everyone.”

 

All eyes turned to Mindy and Annette crossed her arms. “I thought we were gonna have to drag you out of bed.”

 

Danny walked over to her and gave her a peck on the cheek. “You look beautiful, Min.”

 

“Thank you.” She sat down at the kitchen table and took a bite of one of the Christmas cookies they had spent last night making. “When is the rest of your family coming?”

 

Danny swallowed, “Any minute now.” He sat down next to her. “Don’t be nervous.”

 

“I’m not, Danny. They’ll love me.” She plastered on the biggest smile she could, trying to convince herself that this was true.

 

* * *

 

Several hours later, Christmas strata devoured, Mindy and Danny’s family were gathered in the living room. The family was a mixture of loud, sweet and brash. She was currently talking with Danny’s Aunt Sylvia, who made the same mistake Annette had made when they first met. She had even offered Mindy twenty dollars to clean her house. But despite this, Mindy was getting along with her fabulously. Turns out Sylvia had a taste for Hollywood gossip and they were busy discussing the hacking at Sony.

 

“And just so you know, I don’t agree with some of the more colorful things they said about Obama,” Sylvia whispered. Mindy smiled, took a sip of her egg nog and looked around the living room. Danny was in the corner discussing the failure of Mayor de Blasio with his Great Uncle Aldo.

 

Aldo had already asked Mindy several times if her people were even permitted to celebrate Christmas. She had politely tried to explain that she was from Boston and not another country, but he didn't seem to get it. So, Danny stepped in and said that Mindy wasn't really practicing that religion. Not the best way to defend her, but it seemed to work.

 

Richie was talking with Danny’s sweet cousin Marco about the beautiful weather in Florida and his latest podcast that he started all about tennis. Marco had greeted Mindy earlier with a huge bear hug and presented her with a nice bottle of Chianti. He was sweet and well meaning, but he did insist on naming every single one of his friends who was  “of a different color or religion.” --seemingly trying to put Mindy at ease, but only making Danny rush in and change the subject.

 

Then there was Danny’s Cousin Charlotte. She took the cake. Mindy swears she saw her washing her hands after Mindy shook them, but either no one else saw or they were too afraid to say anything. She was sitting near the fire place, her third glass of egg nog in hand, complaining to her very harried husband, Sal, about the influx of immigrants on their block.

 

Annette cleared her throat, “Okay everyone; it is time for the annual hanging of the angels.” Danny took out a box from behind the tree and lifted the cover. He had told Mindy that all his relatives had their own special Christmas angel engraved with their name. He said they liked to wait until the day of Jesus’ birthday to hang them.

 

She watched as everyone took their angel and hung it from the tree. The way the Christmas lights hit the angels was truly beautiful. Each one took on the color of the light it was near. Some red, blue or green and even a couple appeared to be silver. Mindy smiled as she watched this and delighted in seeing Danny’s face light up as he hung his in between his mom’s and Richie’s.

 

After everyone had hung their angel, Danny reached back into the box and pulled out one more angel. He walked over to Mindy. “This one’s for you, babe.” He handed her the angel. She looked at it and saw her name engraved on it. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes.

 

“You got me an angel?”

 

Danny glanced back toward his mom and Richie. “Well, it’s from me, Ma and Richie.”

 

Marco clapped and she heard Sylvia sniffle. Mindy looked down at the angel, a feeling of family overwhelming her. And then she heard Charlotte scoff. “Seriously, you’re giving her an angel?” All eyes turned to look at Charlotte. “I mean, come on, are we sure she’s not some Hajji terrorist?”

 

“Exsqueeze me?,” Mindy shouted.

 

Aldo muttered under his breath, “I kind of suspect she might not really be from Boston.”

 

Charlotte stood, pushing Sal’s hand away as he tried to stop her. “I mean, look at her. I’m sure her gods don’t even know who the true savior is and I’m sure she’s just drowning in curry and…”

 

“That’s enough!” Danny shouted. “I won’t let you talk to her that way! Mindy isn’t a terrorist and she isn’t an immigrant and she doesn’t even cook, so the curry thing is ridiculous.”

 

Charlotte crossed her arms. “I’m sorry Danny, but it just seems that…”

 

“No! You've been insulting my girlfriend since you walked through the door. Don’t think I didn’t see you wash your hands after touching her.” Mindy looked at him in shock. “If you can’t give it a rest and try to treat her with some respect, then I think you should leave.”

 

A silence fell over the room and Charlotte glanced toward Annette, a pleading look on her face. Annette just crossed her arms. “You heard my son.”

 

After a moment, Charlotte sighed and turned to Mindy. “Fine. I’m sorry, Mindy.”

 

Mindy smiled. “Thank you.”

 

Danny put his hand on Mindy’s shoulder. “Now it’s your turn to hang your angel.” They walked over to the tree and Danny pointed to a space next to his angel. “I think she belongs right there.”

 

Mindy placed the angel on the tree and rested her head on Danny’s shoulder. “Merry Christmas, Danny.”

 

“Merry Christmas, Min.” He kissed her forehead and leaned in to whisper, “Maybe tonight you can sneak out of Ma’s room.” Mindy looked up and he winked at her. She playfully smacked him and turned back to the tree looking at the two angels before her. And the knots in her stomach finally disappeared. 


End file.
